News from Mayor Peter O'Leary
The Chimney Rock Village Council meets the third Tuesday of every month at 7:30 pm in the Chimney Rock Volunteer Fire Department building (unless a special meeting is called or the Council votes to change the time.
Meetings are open to the public, and participation is encouraged.
For questions, contact Peter O’Leary at 828-545-1243 or Village Clerk Steve Duncan at 828-777-5718.
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September 2024
​Revitalizing Tradition:
Local Business Owners Share How Streetscape Project Enhances Village Charm and Accessibility
The Village’s Streets-cape Project 2 is still “The News” in our Village as it rolls towards completion. The curbing has been poured on the south side of Main Street, and the sidewalks should be almost completed when this article comes out. Some work will also be done in front of the public restrooms, which will probably also be underway by now.
Substantial completion is in October, which means the project is finished, but we are tying up any punch list items. We still have streetlights to install, and some tree grates on the south side of Main Street.
I had an insightful conversation with Jessie Callaway, owner of Village Scoop Ice Cream, and Emily Walker, General Manager of Chimney Rock Management. The Old Rock Café and the Village Scoop are in the middle of the construction zone. They agreed to share their observations and experiences with the construction, and I thought it would provide a great perspective on the project.
Jessie told me that Chimney Rock Village has an amazing small-town charm and old-timey feel that people love to experience. However, the challenge has been operating with an old-timey infrastructure that cannot handle the larger crowds now visiting. She sees this project as helping more people enjoy what the Village has to offer while still preserving the businesses, attractions, and old-timey feel that bring people here.
Emily said this project is important for the village's aesthetics and vital for an improved visitor experience. The more accessible sidewalks are a vast improvement and will make shopping and dining safer and easier for locals and the many visitors from all over the world. She said the streetscape improvements will update the Village in a way that people will appreciate for years.
Jessie said she had received much positive feedback about the project during the disruption. Many people told her this needed to be done. She says it will make it much easier for whole families with strollers and older members in wheelchairs and walkers to enjoy the Village.
In conjunction with this project, Jessie decided to update the front of her business and remove the awning and porch. She is replacing it with a new façade that better reflects her location in the mountains and the old-fashioned charm of the Village. It will include outdoor fans and better lighting. She plans to use the broader sidewalk for outdoor seating, dining, and landscaping to provide her customers with an updated and refreshed look.
Emily stated that they can use the new space in front of the Old Rock for outdoor dining or small events related to the Park. “We believe this project will benefit our business. Anything that can provide easier access benefits everyone in the Village.”
Jessie added, “This project benefits Chimney Rock Village, which benefits my business and all the businesses. If we make the Village a beautiful, convenient, fun place to visit, people will tell their friends and come back. That benefits my store.”
Thank you, Jessie and Emily, for sharing your story and thoughts.
August 2024
Chimney Rock Village Cuts a New Angle on Parking
Recently, I’ve received several questions about the shift from angle parking to parallel parking in the center of Chimney Rock Village. Some have wondered if this change means we’re losing parking spaces. The answer is simple: we're not losing parking; we’re reorganizing it.
Chimney Rock Village is blessed with many things, but a wide Main Street isn’t one of them. With limited space and an ever-growing number of visitors each year, we needed to find a way to make the Village safer and more enjoyable for everyone.
The old sidewalks were too narrow and unsafe, with obstacles that made it difficult for people to walk comfortably, especially those using wheelchairs or strollers. This often forced pedestrians to walk behind parked cars, right next to the traffic. Large vehicles would stick two to three feet into the highway, creating safety hazards.
The new streetscape has turned those challenges into positives, offering a safer, more spacious environment for pedestrians, strollers, and wheelchairs. I’ve already seen mechanized wheelchairs, double strollers, and people walking side by side on the new sidewalks—something that wasn’t possible just last summer. Every store affected by this project now has an ADA-accessible entrance, a huge improvement over last year. And no more car bumpers or truck hitches jutting into the road!
We’re actively increasing our parking capacity. A few years ago, the Village purchased five acres on the west edge of downtown, which will soon be developed into a parking lot for 175 to 200 cars. This project will add about 150 new parking spots, so we’re not losing parking—we’re gaining both walkability and parking.
In addition, our main parking lot (#1) now features a new gate with a touchless credit card reader, which speeds up the exit process. A new “lot full” sign will also help direct visitors to alternative parking in lot 2, making it easier for everyone to find the best parking spots.
July 2024:
​Chimney Rock Village Streetscape Project Progresses Amid Exciting Developments
The Streetscape Project 2 is well underway, with the North side of the street nearing completion. While this project has caused some temporary disruptions, the results will be well worth it.
During construction, the crew encountered a variety of unexpected challenges, including rocks, old pipes of unknown origin, sewer and water lines, and even remnants of old underground walls. Although no gold or precious gems were found, the work focused on installing underground piping for storm drains and conduits for streetlight electrical wiring.
As part of the project, two street trees will be planted on the south side of the street near the Village Scoops area, and new streetlights will be installed on both sides of the street. The third portion of the project, the demolition of the public restroom area, is set to begin in mid-July (if it hasn’t already).
The entire Streetscape Project is slated for completion by November 2024, but the contractor is working diligently to finish ahead of schedule.
In addition to the Streetscape Project, the replacement of the parking gate and installation of a “lot full” sign for the main parking lot should be complete by the time you read this. The old gate will be moved to parking lot #2 on the west end of downtown, and that project should also wrap up soon.
Another exciting development is Chimney Rock Village’s participation in a $125,000 State Planning and Research (SPR) grant, awarded to both Chimney Rock and Lake Lure, to study Highway 74 from the Lake Lure Post Office to Bat Cave. This study is the first step in assessing vehicle and pedestrian use, intersections, parking, bicycle use, and more along this corridor. It will also explore how the river and riverwalk tie into our overall pedestrian plans.
The results of this study will help us apply for additional grant money to continue enhancing the Village streetscape and making the area between Lake Lure Beach and the Village center more walkable and pedestrian-friendly.​